Affiliation:
1. Department of Radiology Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC) Frontiers Science Center for Disease‐Related Molecular Network State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy West China Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
Abstract
AbstractAmmonia (NH3), known as one of the fundamental raw materials for manufacturing commodities such as chemical fertilizers, dyes, ammunitions, pharmaceuticals, and textiles, exhibits a high hydrogen storage capacity of ≈17.75%. Electrochemical nitrate reduction (NO3RR) to valuable ammonia at ambient conditions is a promising strategy to facilitate the artificial nitrogen cycle. Herein, copper‐doped cobalt selenide nanosheets with selenium vacancies are reported as a robust and highly efficient electrocatalyst for the reduction of nitrate to ammonia, exhibiting a maximum Faradaic efficiency of ≈93.5% and an ammonia yield rate of 2360 µg h−1 cm−2 at −0.60 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. The in situ spectroscopical and theoretical study demonstrates that the incorporation of Cu dopants and Se vacancies into cobalt selenide efficiently enhances the electron transfer from Cu to Co atoms via the bridging Se atoms, forming the electron‐deficient structure at Cu sites to accelerate NO3− dissociation and stabilize the *NO2 intermediates, eventually achieving selective catalysis in the entire NO3RR process to produce ammonia efficiently.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
West China Hospital, Sichuan University
Subject
Mechanical Engineering,Mechanics of Materials,General Materials Science